Gerald "Jerry" Orlyn Dunford

Gerald “Jerry” Orlyn Dunford, age 92, of Albert Lea, Minnesota, formerly of Hollandale, Minnesota, passed away Saturday, December 13, 2025, at St. John’s Lutheran Community Woodlands on Fountain Lake in Albert Lea. Jerry was born March 14, 1933, in Rochester, Minnesota, and was raised by his parents, Allen and Tressie (Prentiss) Dunford. Jerry attended high school in Mantorville, Minnesota.

At age 17 he entered the military and served his country in the United States Army from July 29, 1950 to July 29, 1953. Jerry went to Fort Carson in Colorado and was then sent to Fort McCoy in Wisconsin. From there he was deployed to Korea and was there 15 months before he was wounded in action. Jerry then spent three months in Osaka, Japan in the hospital and rehab. Upon his return to the United States, he was stationed in California and Colorado. Jerry was honorably discharged on July 29, 1953, at Camp Atterbury in Indiana. He was awarded the Korean Service Medal with three Bronze Service Stars, United Nations Service Medal, and two Overseas Service Bars. He was united in marriage on November 14, 1953, to Grace Irene Wiley at the First Presbyterian Church in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

Jerry worked for 15 years at Paul D. Jones Growers before beginning at International Trucking. He then owned and operated Hollandale Oil Company – Phillips 66 – for over five years. Jerry spent a significant portion of his life as an over-the-road trucker until his retirement. During his retirement years, he assisted area farmers with planting and harvesting. While he was working, he saved the life of one of the farmers whose sweatshirt got caught in the belt of a piece of farm machinery. He lived most of his life in Hollandale, where he cherished his acreage and loved to spend time in the woods, embracing the outdoors.

One of Jerry’s greatest accomplishments in life was donating 10+ gallons of blood over 64 years. He gave his first blood donation in 1953 to a wounded man in Korea. During the span of his donations, it is possible that he saved over 240 lives. Jerry was an avid sports fan, never missing his son, Dan’s, games. He was especially passionate about the Minnesota Vikings – he was a season ticket holder since 1999 (never missing a game) and passed his love for the team on to his children. Jerry very much enjoyed talking to people, he always said he liked to put a smile on people’s faces. He was a lifetime member of the VFW and the American Legion in Albert Lea.

Survivors include his son, Daniel “Dan” Dunford of Austin, Minnesota; daughters, Jeri (Jack) Morgan of Austin, Minnesota and Mary (Randy) Boysen of Blooming Prairie, Minnesota; granddaughter, Alexis; great-grandson, Knox; brother, Marvin (Diane) Dunford; sisters, Bonnie Cummins and Betty Cromwell; special nephew and niece, David and Karen VanReese; and many other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Grace in 2000; son in infancy; brothers, Richard, Art, and Francis; and sisters, Arliss Crandall and Barbara Culbertson.

A funeral service for Jerry will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, December 22, 2025, at Worlein-Hoff Funeral Home in Austin. The visitation will take place from 9:30-11:00 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will be in Hollandale Cemetery, Hollandale, Minnesota. Memorials are preferred to the Albert Lea American Legion Post 56. Worlein-Hoff Funeral Homes of Austin are assisting the family with arrangements.